Why Does My Hot Tub Smell?

Nothing can ruin the pleasurable environment of a hot tub more than unpleasant odours. It is pretty difficult to relax when you’re being overwhelmed with the smell of rotten eggs or mildew. If you are wondering, “Why does my hot tub smell?” you should read this article!

Why Does My Hot Tub Smell?

Unpleasant odours created by a hot tub usually have to do with a chemical imbalance. The chemical imbalance itself could be the cause of the smell or the imbalance could create the ideal conditions for the presence of other odour producing entities.

When your hot tub has a strong chlorine-like smell it is not actually the chlorine that’s creating the odour. It is the reaction of chlorine with ammonia that creates what’s known as chloramines which are responsible for the chlorine-like smell. A similar thing can happen when bromine reacts with ammonia and creates bromamines. The reason the hot tub smells bad is because of the chemical imbalance itself.

Sometimes a chemical imbalance can create an ideal environment for the growth of organisms such as bacteria, mildew, and molds. The buildup of waste products produced by these life forms can lead to unpleasant odours as well.

How to Stop A Hot Tub from Smelling?

There are a variety of methods to stop your hot tub from smelling depending on what is causing the odour in the first place. To prevent going overboard and draining the entire hot tub every time there is a whiff of odour, we have listed these methods in order from the simplest to a complete overhaul. If you are trying to get rid of bad smells, start at the top of this list and work your way down.

Balanced Water Chemistry

Balancing your water chemistry is the foundation of keeping a fresh and clean smelling hot tub. You should be testing the water on a regular basis, at least once a week, and adding chemicals depending on the results of those tests. Neglecting these tests will most definitely lead to dirty water and conditions that are conducive to unpleasant smells. If you feel you don’t have the time to balance the water chemistry yourself, you may want to look into hiring the services of a technician to take care of this for you.

Clean Hot Tub Cover

For work that they do in keeping the water clean, hot tub covers often receive much less attention than they deserve. If you know your water chemistry is properly balanced but still has a bad smell, look at your hot tub cover. Often they can be ideal places for the growth of mold and mildew. As they get older, they also tend to trap water inside which can become stagnant and begin to smell. If your hot tub cover has seen better days, it might be time to replace it.

Clean Water Filters

Water filters are an integral part of keeping the hot tub water fresh, clean, and free from unpleasant odours. They trap large particles, contaminants and debris that can support the growth of odour causing organisms. Water filters should be cleaned once a month and changed every year or so. Inspect your water filters on a regular basis and make sure they are clean and in good enough repair to do their jobs properly.

Clean Plumbing

If everything else appears in order and your hot tub still smells, it might be necessary to clean out the inner workings. It is possible for hot tub plumbing to harbor dirt, slime and other contaminants that allow odour causing organisms to thrive. This is even more likely to occur if the hot tub has not been used for awhile. If you suspect the plumbing needs flushing out there are dedicated cleaning solutions that can do the job. You should also consider emptying the hot tub, giving it a good scrubbing, and refilling it with clean, fresh water. Then you will be pretty much assured that the bad smells will be vanquished.

Now that you know why your hot tub smells, download a free buyer’s guide to find out more.